On a tragic summer day, July 12, 2026, the life of 24-year-old Devin D. May was violently cut short in what would become a devastating killing spree across East St. Louis, Illinois. May was one of five family members who lost their lives in a series of shootings that stunned the community. The victims spanned three generations of a single family. Remembered as a hardworking man who deeply loved his family, Devin was a devoted father to his young daughter.
His wife, Chelsey Gatlin, described him as a "great father... a great person and a great man." Just six days before his death, he had proposed to Gatlin on her birthday. The couple's daughter will now grow up with only the memories shared by loved ones to know her father.
The horror that befell the May family unfolded across at least three different locations in East St. Louis. The violence was allegedly carried out by a teenage couple: a 15-year-old female relative of the victims and her 16-year-old boyfriend, Ja'Ymier Davis. Loved ones believe the motive behind the heinous acts was the family's disapproval of the teens' relationship. A relative stated that the couple seemingly wanted to "eliminate everybody that had a problem with the situation." The suspects were apprehended after a police chase that ended with a PIT maneuver on the vehicle one of the teens was driving. The 15-year-old girl's father, Marcus May, expressed his profound grief and refusal to show his daughter sympathy for her alleged actions which claimed the lives of his mother, his son, and his daughter.
Following the tragic events, the two teenagers were taken into custody. Ja'Ymier Davis, the 16-year-old, was charged as an adult with multiple felony counts, including first-degree murder, attempted murder, and dismembering a human body. Prosecutors also sought to have the 15-year-old girl's case transferred to adult court, where she would face first-degree murder charges. In addition to the five family members who were killed, two others were shot and seriously injured during the rampage. The community was left to mourn the immense loss, with a joint funeral service held for Devin, his mother Cherie May, and his grandmother Patricia May, where they were remembered for their loving and kind nature rather than the tragic end to their lives. The case stands as a grim reminder of the devastating consequences of gun violence and a family torn apart from within.
